Alpha Burke Chastain has his
rules, and his rules were law. All must obey them for the safety of the pack
family and their friends. His men respect and love him, but he has no
tenderness in his life. Having a mate of his own was something he knew was
never meant to be.

Dane Quinn is from the hidden
plane of Tuath. He has escaped from the breeder stable where men were enslaved
for the sole purpose of providing heirs to the highest bidder. He aches to find
his true match and have a family with the man that he hoped to love.

With the guidance of the goddess Lanaya, Burke helps
save the men of Tuath. He is drawn to Dane—the man who is destined to be his
mate. He must put aside his alpha ways and understand that all rules are
negotiable, or he will risk losing the man who will bring kindness, love, and
cubs into his life.

Dane
tipped his head up so he could look at Burke, still resting against his
shoulder. He was confused by Burke’s words.

“You
will not apologize for needing me,”
Burke told him firmly. “It’s what I need.”

“What
you need?”

Burke
nodded slowly, his hazel-blue eyes softening as he looked at the man who
already possessed such power over him. He saw Dane’s confusion and knew that he
could do nothing but be completely open with him. They were mates. It was
important that they began their life together with honesty.

“It’s
my nature to protect,” Burke explained. “I’m alpha of my pack. It’s my
responsibility to see to it that my family is safe and cared for.” He hesitated
a moment, looking into the blue of Dane’s eyes and finding the kindness and
compassion that he needed. “When a wolf finds his mate, nothing and no one is
more important. You are my responsibility, Dane. I need to care for you.”

“I
don’t want to be your responsibility,” Dane told him, anger filling him as he
pushed at Burke’s chest and pressed back against the wall.

Burke
growled softly as Dane pushed from his hold. “I’m not good at this,” he
muttered.

“Good
at what?”

The
defiant anger in Dane’s voice was evident. Sadness and disappointment warred
within him. He didn’t want to be a responsibility. He wanted to be Burke’s
partner in all things. He wanted Burke to love him and see him as more than
someone to take care of.

“I’m
not good at kindness,” Burke admitted.

Dane’s
heart softened at once. He saw the defeat in Burke’s beautiful eyes and noticed
the way his strong, broad shoulders slumped in defeat.

“I
think you’re pretty good at kindness,” Dane disagreed with him. “You’ve helped
me and my friends without expecting anything in return.” He paused, narrowing
his eyes as he looked at Burke very seriously. “You aren’t expecting anything
in return, are you?”

Burke
shook his head.

“Really?”

“I
don’t expect anything,” Burke said quietly. “I just hope.”

“Hope
for what?”

Burke
cleared his throat and pushed down his wolf as he tried to press him to claim
what was theirs. This was no time to be forceful. If he pushed, he might lose
Dane.

“I hope
that you’ll accept me as your mate,” he admitted finally. “I know you don’t
know me, but I hope that you’ll give us a chance to find our way through this
relationship.”

Dane
centered his emotions within Burke’s heart and mind and found only sincerity
there. He also felt his longing to find love. Dane felt the same way, but he
had to ensure that Burke wanted him on equal footing. He was not going to be anyone’s responsibility
or burden. He was going to be an equal partner in this relationship and love
and protect Burke just as he hoped the wolf shifter would love and protect him.

“That’s
what I want, too, Burke,” he told him sincerely.

“It
is?”

“Yes.
As long as I’m equal to you. I don’t want to be your responsibility.”

“That
came out wrong, Dane. I didn’t mean that I saw you as a job that I had to take
on. I meant that I’ll care for you as I care for my pack family. As alpha, it’s
in my makeup. As my mate, you’ll be first in my life and first in my heart.”

“As
equals?” Dane asked warily, doing his best to push down the pleasure that
Burke’s declaration gave him. He had to keep himself in check until he
understood completely.

“No,
Dane.”

Dane
pressed back against the bathroom wall as if he’d been struck. It couldn’t have
hurt worse if he had.

“You’re
not my equal, Dane. You’re my better.”

Dane
was shocked speechless. When Burke reached out and wrapped his arms around his
shoulders to slowly draw him into his embrace, Dane was unable to do anything
but allow it. He felt Burke’s large hands caressing his back and wings, unable
to keep the sigh from escaping him.

“I’m a
difficult man to like,” Burke admitted as he pressed his lips against the top
of Dane’s head. “I’m rough and don’t trust anyone who isn’t a part of my pack
or Murdock’s coven.” He closed his eyes and rubbed his cheek against Dane’s
hair, his wolf calming at the connection. “I honestly don’t know if I know how
to be gentle or loving, but I feel things with you that I’ve never felt before.
You make me calm. You make me hope that I can learn to be a good man who will
give you a good life and help you achieve all the dreams you have in your
heart.” He moved his head slightly so he could kiss Dane’s temple before
pressing him closer. “Please, Dane. Don’t keep me out. Please give this old wolf
a chance to learn. I’ve waited my whole life to find you. I want to be able to
love you.”

Dane
was not a man who cried, but Burke’s honest words certainly choked him up. He
turned into Burke’s neck and slipped his arms around Burke’s back to hug him
gently. Breathing in deeply, he was filled with Burke’s honesty and pain. He
couldn’t deny what he knew was true. Burke respected him. He wanted to form a
future with him that was based on that respect. He also wanted Dane to love
him.

“I
don’t think you’re an old wolf,” Dane teased him.

“You
don’t, huh?”

Burke
laughed softly, giving himself over to the gentle support that he felt coming
from Dane. He felt the soft kiss that Dane placed against his neck and froze.
Surely he was mistaken. Dane didn’t just kiss him.

Just
when he was about to pass the feeling off as one he had imagined, he felt
another light kiss against his neck. He couldn’t help but growl softly. When
Dane hugged him tighter, he pulled Dane closer and smiled when his mate eased
back and looked up at him with a definite twinkle in his eyes.

“You’re
not an old wolf, Burke,” Dane told him firmly. “What you are, is my wolf.”

Burke
closed his eyes as happiness filled him. He had never in his entire existence
expected to hear those words—especially spoken by such a kind and caring man.
Dane had no idea how much of a treasure he was. Burke was determined to show
him every day of their lives together just how much he meant to him.